The coach told the two students at the end of the protest that "disrespect will not be tolerated," said Cedric "CJ" Ingram-Lewis, one of the players protesting, the Post reported.

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"He told us to take off our uniform and leave it there," Ingram-Lewis said.

The coach, Ronnie Mitchem, from Victory & Praise Christian Academy, told the newspaper that as a veteran, he has a "strong view" of what he thinks is disrespectful.

“If they feel strongly about that, that’s something that should be addressed,” Mitchem said. “But my whole point was, there was a proper time — and I told the team this — there’s a proper time to do something, and a proper way.”

The protests came after President Trump last month attacked players who kneel during the national anthem, spurring a national debate on the NFL protests.

Since Trump's comments, many players have knelt or locked arms during the anthem ahead of their games.

Trump has since called for the NFL to put in place a rule that would require players to stand for the anthem.